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14 Failed NXT Stars: Where Are They Now?

WWE NXT is the hottest thing in wrestling right now, with Triple H’s revolutionary promotion attracting the best wrestlers from around the planet who want to get their stepping stone to the WWE. Many would say that NXT is better than the main roster nowadays, as the product is so exciting, unpredictable and attractive that even the grumpiest of smarks can’t seem to find many flaws with it. The inflow of favourites from around the world and pitting the best against each other always makes for some amazing matches, with the wrestlers who succeed prevailing onto newer heights, and those who fail having to take the miserable path out of the company.

NXT was transitioned from WWE’s developmental territory of Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) as Vince McMahon decided to give his loyal son-in-law the freedom to create this into a successful thing and boy oh boy was he to be pleased with the product. Triple H completely revamped things in NXT, picking the best of the production team in order to help him orchestrate something amazing. Triple H, being among the more influential men in the company, attracted the best available talent from other promotions like ROH, TNA and NJPW in order to build his own promotion into the most exciting wrestling product in the world.

Not only did Triple H bring some of the most talented wrestlers around the world to hone their skills in this platform, but also brought in some amateurs (because this is a developmental promotion at the end of the day) and let the loud crowd of Full Sail University decide on whom would be their favourites. But NXT was getting extremely competitive, and those who failed to get themselves over with the crowd had to suffer as they would go down the ladder in the promotion and then out of it. Even some who got main rosters pushes failed to make their mark in the WWE, as many NXT stars seemed to fail to impress in the promotion.

10 Aksana (then)

9 Aksana (now)

8 Mason Ryan (then)

7 Mason Ryan (now)

6 Justin Gabriel (then)

5 Justin Gabriel (now)

via youtube.com

4 Low Ki (then)

via cagesideseats.com

3 Low Ki (now)

via wrestlingnewsworld.com

2 Derrick Bateman (then)

via wallsofjerichoholic.blogspot.com

1 Derrick Bateman (now)

via alchetron.com

Bateman would join TNA after his failure in WWE, and he was repackaged as TNA President Dixie Carter’s spoiled nephew Ethan Carter III as he seemed to revel as this spoiled heel. He would do all the dirty-work, trying to take down legends and prominent superstars while having the backing of Dixie, and soon got extremely over with the crowd. EC3 would be on the mouths of all TNA fans as other fans were also getting attracted to his irresistible charisma and he went onto win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and have a reign of 102 days. He would win it for a second time when TNA debuted in POP TV, as he was the undisputed face of this failing promotion. EC3 would work indy events as well, winning the House of Glory Championship and recently competed in Slammiversary too. The most controversial moment of his recent time was when he invaded an EVOLVE match and ranted on NXT and mouthed off on Triple H, as a return to WWE looks like a hindered possibility.